Fujiten Snow Resort

One thing about me that confuses everyone I know, is how much I love snow. This being because I cannot tolerate temperatures below 70 degrees (or 20 in Celsius). When I was a child, I would shout for joy at even the smallest of snow flurries, and on days when there was heavy snowfall, I’d challenge my father to a snowball fight (which I would always win). I would even go as far to make a small snowball, hide it in the back of the freezer for months. Then, I would wait to catch my dad off guard so I could initiate a very one-sided snowball fight in the middle of summer.

Even though I love the snow, I am what the Japanese call a “samu-gari,” which more or less translates to “always cold.” All of my ventures in the snow had never lasted more than a few minutes, as I would immediately get cold and give up. So you can probably imagine, I had never even dared to try out any winter sports.

This was the case until I came to Yamanashi. Here, there are quite a few places where one can enjoy snowboarding, for example in northwestern Yamanashi there is the Sun Meadows Kiyosato Ski Resort, and the more famous Fujiten Snow Resort in the south. When it comes to skiing in Japan, the more popular places tend to be colder regions, such as Hokkaido and Nagano. The courses there tend to cater to pro-skiers and snowboarders. Temperatures in Yamanashi, on the other hand, are not cold enough to support snow resorts with real snow. Therefore, most of the snow is artificial, and most of the guests are there more so for the views than the actual courses (because doing anything on Japan’s number one mountain feels just that much more awesome).

Thanks to the snow being artificial, I was able to avoid my number one foe: the cold. The resort was actually quite sunny, with excellent views of Mt.Fuji. In fact, I got so warm that I soon regretted attaching 10 heat packs to my body beforehand (oops). The temperatures were just cold enough to enjoy a nice, hot cup of hot chocolate. It was absolutely delicious! 

Another great thing about Fujiten would be their COVID-19 rules. Not only was everyone required to wear masks—even on the slopes—but there were also temperature checks, plenty of hand sanitizer, and all in door facilities were sterilized and well-ventilated.

After having my fun in the snow at Fujiten Snow Resort, we left and enjoyed a nice, hot bath at Yurari Onsen. With more baths than most places, you need a good amount of time to enjoy yourself to the fullest. There are four different outdoor baths, with great views of Mt. Fuji, three inner baths, sauna rooms and the like. When I left, I could barely even tell how sore my muscles were from falling off my snowboard so many times earlier that day. Learn more

As the snow begins to melt in other prefectures, there is still plenty here at the foot of Mt. Fuji, so come enjoy yourself today!

Fujiten is open from mid-December through early April and they have gear available to rent (boots, boards, skis, jackets, pants, goggles, and more). English speakers and Muslim guests are welcome as well (they have a prayer room and Halal menu options).

More Info

Fujiten Snow Resort website:
https://www.fujiten.net